First big Tournament Cash!

Party Poker 30+3 NL Hold'em entry. Approx 650 players. 1st Place approx $4500. Top 70 pay.

I went in trying to be patient and not do anything stupid. I almost hit my goal. :0

There were a lot of guys early going all in on flush draws. I really don't understand that move. If some one has top pair they are going to call you if they only invested $33. It's probably different in the WSOP when you have thousands of dollars invested.

A few highlight hands:

I'm on the button with J10 suited. One limper and I raise trying to get everyone to fold but willing to see the flop if called. The board is A-10-10. The caller checks to me and I check it through hoping to induce a bluff later on. The turn is a 2. He bets 200 and I call. The river is now the case 10 giving me 4 of a kind. He bets, I go all in, and he calls. He turns over AA for Aces full of Tens. I can't believe I caught the one outer on the river. I'm trying to trap him the whole time and I was practically dead.

Ace King suited and I call an early raise. Flop is A-7-10. I check and he goes all in. I call and he has QQ. Turn is a Jack. River is the King giving my opponet the straight. How unlucky.

The hand that crippled me at the end. I have AK under the gun with 2000-4000 blinds. I raise to 10k. I have 54,560 at the start of the hand. The player two spots to my left goes all in for 31687. Another player goes all in for 15000. Now it's back to me. What do I do? There is something like 18 players left and if I win this hand there is a very good shot that I make it to the final table. I am willing to race against a pocket pair, but I need to know if any of my Aces or Kings are taken. If I call I will get all 5 cards to make a high pair since both players are all in. I decide to make the loose call.

Flop comes Jack diamonds, 7 diamonds, and 8 diamonds. The guy 2 to my left turns over Ace-2 of diamonds and has the nut flush. The other all in guy turns over QQ. I am screwed. I think I will post this hand on 2+2 to see what they say. I think they will tell me to fold.

Busted out with A-10 going all in after a raise. The raiser had A-Q and his Queen high held up.

Overall I am proud of how I played and I can't wait to get there again.